[03] Greek public deficit at 9 pct, public debt at 156.9 pct in 2012,
Eurostat reports

The government is trapped in the memorandum policy of austerity
and destruction, main opposition SYRIZA said on Monday, adding that
whatever leaks to the press about so-called negotiating with the troika
of lenders to Greece cannot reverse the subordination of Greece to its
lenders and the memorandum's commitments.

In an announcement, the party said that there can be no negotiation
when the core of the memorandum's policy - namely the austerity and the
dissolution of labour rights - is not challenged.

"The real change in the policy applied means the reversal of the
memorandums within the framework of a real negotiation, aiming at
a European arrangement to repay the debt and support growth," it
said. "That's something that German Chancellor Angela Merkel's obedient
pupils do not want to and cannot do, becoming every day that passes more
unreliable and isolated not only in Greece but abroad as well," it added.

[02] Georgiadis: 'Patients will have to pay if they choose patent over
generic drugs'

ANA-MPA -- Health Minister Adonis Georgiadis on Monday referred to the
generic medicine vs the patent drug option available to patients under
public health insurance coverage and to the increased contribution they
will have to pay if they choose the patent drugs instead of the generic,
a measure effective as of today.

In an interview with ANA-MPA Web TV, he said that public health services
provider EOPYY "will give to patients good medicine for which they will
pay only half of the contribution toward its cost if they opt for it".

"If the patients choose a less expensive medicine, compared with the
reference price, they will pay half the contribution, namely, 12.5 pct
from 25 pct," he said.

"But if they choose the expensive patent drug because they think - and
not the medical scientists - that it is better, then they will have to
bear the cost of their choice," the health minister said, adding that
"if they want to be extravagant they should pay the cost".

According to Georgiadis, the measure will correspond to 150 million
euros in annual savings for EOPYY.

Responding to a relevant question on whether the amount of 1.5 billion
euros in state funding will be earmarked for EOPYY allowing it to
repay part of its overdue debts to pharmacists and other health services
providers dated before December 31, 2011, he said that the organization's
debts are being covered by the state.

[03] Greek public deficit at 9 pct, public debt at 156.9 pct in 2012,
Eurostat reports

BRUSSELS - Greece's public deficit was running at 9 percent of GDP in
2012, while the country's public debt came to 156.9 percent of GDP in
2012, according to figures released by Eurostat on Monday.

On a European-wide basis, Eurostat's figures record a reduction of public
deficits but an increase in public debt both in the Eurozone and the 28
EU member-states.

Speaking to the local radio station Vima FM on Monday, cabinet general
secretary Panagiotis Baltakos stressed that achieving a primary surplus
was the paramount goal, to which the government was directing the bulk
of its efforts.

"The troika and the memorandum are a 'black' page in the history of
the country and the entire effort underway is for us to stand on our
feet and be able to get rid of them as quickly as possible. Everything
is being done to achieve a primary surplus. Without it we are erased
from the map. With it we can pay salaries and pensions and we have
choices. Without a surplus, we have no choice," he said.

Baltakos noted that the country now appeared to be on the way to
achieving this goal, which would create other options that were not
available before.

"Consequently, and based on the abilities that [Prime Minister Antonis
Samaras] has shown until now - for we should not forget that he has been
governing the country for a year and a half with 29 percent and achieved
things that other prime ministers could not imagine, never mind achieve,
with 44 percent - I think that everything is possible," he added.

Baltakos noted that the troika came to Greece as a result of actions and
policies implemented over decades, adding that it was not a question of
pinning the blame on one side or the other.

"What is certain is that we brought [the troika] here ourselves and we
will force it to leave by achieving our goals. This is what's needed,"
he stressed.

On the prospect of early elections, the cabinet general secretary
underlined that there was no such intention and that the government
wanted to run to the end of its four-year term in 2016. He did not
rule out the possibility of early elections as a political "accident,"
however, and he refused to speculate on the possible outcome of the
European elections in May.

"The government has a four-year horizon - as the prime minister has
said. This is reasonable. First growth and then elections. No one is
a fool to hold elections in the midst of this sort of crisis. It's not
good for the country nor for the one holding elections. And if the troika
insists on this, so much the worse for them," he added.

Baltakos also appeared confident that the prime minister will be able to
resist the troika's demands and pressures, especially once the country
achieved a primary surplus and had more options. He emphasised once
again that Samaras had led what was possible the most difficult prime
ministerial term ever to exist, governing Greece with 29 percent during
one of the deepest crises since the foundation of the Greek state.